Electric-fuse box



(No Model.)

W. EDSON. ELECTRIC FUSE BOX.

No. 453,111. Patented May 26,1891.

Nl-r d E5555. g 412 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM EDSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BEACON VACUUMPUMP AND ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF MAINE.

ELECTRICAFUSE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,111, dated May 26,1891.

Application filed January 21, 1891. Serial No; 378,574. (No model.)

with an electric circuit a fuse-block of such a nature that when onefuse burns out another already in the box may by a slight movement 'bebrought into the circuit, and that this substitution of a new fuse for aburned one may berepeated manytimes. This object I attain by themechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is aperspective View showing a part cut away. Fig.2 is a vertical section ofmy device. Fig. 3 is a section showing in detail some of the parts.

The fuse-block in common use has but a single fuse, whose replacementrequires considerable time and labor and is usually done at greatinconvenience, especially when the fuse is used on electric cars and inplaces that v are of difficult access.

My box is so constructed that it may containa number of fuses, and thatin case a fuse is burned out a part rotation of the movable section ofthe box will place another fuse in the circuit. This replacement may berepeated until all of the fuses are burned out. When the fuses of a boxare all burned, the fuse section or part B may be removed, and on beingrefilled can readily be replaced or another filled fuse-section (severalof which may be kept at hand) may be substituted for it with lessdifficulty than one ordinary fusewire has heretofore been inserted.

The box shown in the drawings is adapted for six fuse-Wires; but theboxes maybe made for a greater number, if desired.

In the drawings, A represents the upper or fixed portion of thefuse-box, which is made of some suitable insulating material, and isintended to be permanently attached to the wall or fioor of a buildingor car. This part of the box receives the ends W and IV of the severedline-wire, the end W being electrically connected to the metallic centerpart D by the screw II, the other end IV being attached to the metalliccircumferential post K by the screw K. The circumferential post K hasattached to its inner end a contact-plate L, said plate being held inplace and electrically connected to the post K by the screw-nut L. Therotating sectionB of the box is also made of some suitable insulatingmaterial, and is connected to the fixed part A by the quill part D ofthe metallic post D. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The inner face of the rotatingpart B has recesses S S, divided from each other by the radialpartitions E E. In each of the recesses S S, I have a contact-block N,adapted to receive one end of a fuse-wire F, which is electricallyconnected to it bya screwP. The inner ends of the fuse-wires F F are allelectrically connected to the center post D by means of the metallicclamping-disks R R, which are in contact with the said post D. It willbe observed that each of the fuse-wires F is in a recess by itself, sothat in the event of its melting it cannot get out of its own recess,and thus by coming in contact with another fuse-wire make an accidentalclosure of the circuit.

The operation of my multiple-fuse box is as follows: The ends IV and NVof the line-wire being inserted and connected, as described, with thefixed part A of the box, the rotating part B, being fitted with thefuse-wires F F, is attached to the quill and post D D by the screw-pinII. Now by turning the rotating part into such a position that thecontactplate L will rest on one of the contact-blocks N a circuit isestablished through the part W of the line-wire, post D, clamping-platesR and R, fuse F, contact-blockN,contact-plate L, and circumferentialpost K to part IV of the line-wire.

To assist in manipulation and to indicate when the rotating part of thefuse-box is in such a position as to bring the contact-plate L incontact with a contact-block N, I form on the plate L a cup-shapedrecess adapted to slip over and outside the rounded head of thecontact-block N and to cling thereto, requiring considerable force toslide it oif.

I claim 1. In a fuse-block, the combination of a fixed part having acentral pivotal post electrically connected with one end of the severedlinewire, a circumferential post connected with the other end of thesaid line-wire, and a contact-plate electrically connected to the 5 saidcircumferential post with a rotating block having a series ofcontact-blocks and fuses electrically connected severally with the saidcentral pivotal post, the said contactblocks being adapted to bebrought, as de- 10 sired, into electrical connection With thecircumferential post of the fixed block, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a fuse-block, the combination of the fuse-block A, line-wire V W,connected, as

described, to the pivotal post D, and the circumferential post K, saidpost K having a contact-plate L, with the rotating block 13, providedwith fuse-wires F, recesses S, and contact-blocks N, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 16th day of Jannary,A. D.1891.

WILLIAM EDSON. Witnesses:

FRANK G. PARKER, EDWARD S. DAY.

